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Mar 2008

Kingfisher is Indian Premier League umpire partner

     Mumbai: The DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) today announced that Kingfisher Airlines has bagged the rights to being the official umpire partner for the league. It will also sponsor all Third Umpire decisions during the fifty nine action packed games in the DLF IPL. The Umpire Partnership deal is worth Rs. 106 crores for a five year period. As per the agreement, Kingfisher Airlines will receive branding on the Umpires' Uniform including their shirts and hats during the DLF IPL, along with several other activation opportunities around the property Lalit Modi, Chairman and Commissioner, DLF IPL said, "I am very pleased to have the country's premier five star airline Kingfisher join us as the Umpire Partner in an exclusive five-year deal. Kingfisher Airlines has a long association with a variety of sports at both the domestic and international level including Tennis, Formula 1, Polo and now Cricket. Their decision bears testimony to the fact that the DLF IPL is here to stay and is set to carve out a distinct niche for itself in the international cricket calendar." Dr. Vijay Mallya, Chairman and CEO, Kingfisher Airlines said, "We are delighted to extend our partnership with the DLF Indian Premier League with Kingfisher Airlines coming in as the official Umpire Partner. Our five-year association with the DLF IPl is further testimony of our commitment to building the Kingfisher Airlines brand through sports. The DLF IPL is a highly innovative concept and the Twenty20 format will undoubtedly take cricket's popularity to a new high. Kingfisher Airlines will present the DLF IPL umpires in a completely new and modern style while retaining their critical role in the sport."

     Earlier, leading sports broadcaster Sony Max and World Sport Group had bagged DLF IPL's global media and production rights for USD 1.026 billion dollars. The exclusive Franchise rights for the eight city league were won by ShahRukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders, Preity Zinta's and Ness Wadia's (Mohali), the Mumbai Indians, GMR's Delhi Daredevils, UB Group's The Royal Challengers of Bangalore, Indian Cements - Chennai Super Kings, Deccan Chronicle's - Hyderabad Chargers and Emerging Media's Jaipur Royals. The DLF IPL is ready to kick off on April 18 with some high voltage action expected between ShahRukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders and Dr. Vijay Mallya's Royal Challengers of Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. The DLF IPL will feature eight Franchises and will run for 44 days. Each Franchise will play others on a home and away basis with 7 matches at home. The top four Franchises in the league will contest the semi finals and the victorious semi finalists will meet in the Grand Final all over one weekend, which will be played out in Mumbai. The inaugural season of the DLF IPl will showcase a grand total of 59 matches providing broadcasters and in-stadia spectators with 177 hours of live "family entertainment", which will also be viewed by a significant international audience. All matches will be during late afternoon and evening to coincide with prime time for television and providing a convenient time for the stadium audience. The Indian victory at the Twenty20 ICC World Cup has further helped capture the imagination and entice an entire new generation of sports fans into the grounds. The LIVE In-stadia entertainment, combined with the high-octane on-field action has further hooked viewers onto this new adrenalin packed LIVE family entertainment format attracting a much younger fan base, which also includes women and children.
-Mar 20, 2008